1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to communication capabilities within computer systems. More particularly, the invention relates to multi-level communication capabilities within computer systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Common within the information technology art are computer communications systems and computer communications networks that are intended to facilitate information dissemination, distribution and communication between parties connected to the computer communications systems and the computer communications networks. Common computer communications systems and computer communications networks may include, but are not limited to: (1) Internet communications systems and communications networks; and (2) intranet communications systems and communications networks.
Also common within the information technology art are restricted access computer systems (i.e., including restricted access computer sub-systems) that are often used in commercial, government and military applications when it is desirable to provide secure storage capabilities and/or secure processing capabilities for classified data and/or classified information. To that end, in order to assure such secure storage capabilities and/or secure processing capabilities, transfer of classified data and/or classified information from restricted access computer systems is often effected using encryption methodology and encryption apparatus to assure that such classified data and/or such classified information is not otherwise readily transmitted from a restricted access computer system.
While computer communications systems and computer communications networks that include restricted access computer systems are nonetheless essential within the context of a greater overall classified data and/or classified information storage and/or processing capability within a secure information technology network, computer systems and computer networks in general, and restricted access computer systems and restricted access computer networks more particularly, are nonetheless not entirely without problems. In that regard, restricted access computer systems and restricted access computer networks often do not provide for ready dissemination of non-classified (i.e., non-restricted) communications from the restricted access computer systems and the restricted access computer networks.
Thus, desirable within the information technology art are: (1) computer systems and computer networks and related methods for operation thereof in general; and (2) restricted access computer systems and restricted access computer networks and related methods for operation thereof more particularly, that provide for enhanced communication capabilities that may include, but are not necessarily limited to, ready communication of non-classified data and/or non-classified information from restricted access computer systems and restricted access computer networks.